Broken Walls Are Not Broken Dreams
by fishstic
Summary: When titans attack Elsa and Anna's small house in the middle of nowhere inside Wall Maria after it fell, Elsa is forced to reveal her powers and make a choice that will determine the fate of not only her life, but Anna's as well.
1. Chapter 1

She could still hear them loud and clear, even though she had been in this cold lonely room for three hours, since she had gotten cleared by the medic. She absentmindedly switched between tapping on the table in front of her and tracing her fingers over the bandage on her arm. She could still hear the yelling and screaming, though it had long since stopped. It was driving her insane. And the worst part? The worst part was she couldn't do anything to change. The worst part was she knew some of the screams were her sister, but she didn't know if those screams had been silenced, she didn't know if she had succeeded in saving the one person who she actually really cared about. She hadn't ever thought that something like this could happen, but now that it had, she was terrified that she had somehow caused it.

She had no idea why the soldiers were so scared of her, instead of the titan they were fighting. Was it that scary, what she had done to stop the titan? Thinking back some of the soldiers had seemed more scared of her getting up after being hit and calling the titan, a big ugly fucker and taunting it to come at her instead of her sister, than her freezing the titan's legs.

After what seemed like an eternity someone else finally entered the room. The person a man about twenty years older than her, walked in and sat down across the table from her.

"Hello, Miss—"

"Elsa."

"Hello, Miss Elsa, my name is Clark Tremaine. I suppose you must have a few questions of your own for me, and since I kept you waiting, I'll allow you to go ahead and ask them, however, be aware that I can't guarantee you that I'll have the answer."

Elsa nodded and played with her braid for a moment trying to figure out which question to ask first. Several popped into her head at once, but only once stood out to her. "Where's Anna?"

Clark thought about the question for a moment, having expected the first one to be whether or not she was in trouble then found the perfect answer. "Who's Anna?"

"She's my little sister," Elsa explained. "Kind of short, red-haired girl, who like never stops talking and never stands still."

"Ah, she's just outside this room talking with some members of the survey corps. She's remarkably unharmed from the fight with the titan."

"That's good." Elsa smiled. "Speaking of the survey corps, why were they so scared of me?"

Clark smiled slightly and thought about the answer. "There's no simple answer. It could have been your recklessness in drawing the titan's attention to yourself, it could have been your freezing the titan to stop it from moving. It could have been your platinum blonde hair. It could have been anything. To get a real answer you'd have to ask them."

Elsa nodded thoughtfully. "What's going to happen to Anna and me now? Our parents were leaving to my cousin's wedding when the titan attacked. I don't think they made it."

"What happens next depends on how you answer my questions," Clark said seriously.

"Okay," Elsa responded. "Ask away."

"First, how long have you known you can do the things you do?"

"You mean my powers? I've always had them. I was born with them."

"How long have you lived in that house in the middle of nowhere?"

"Always. My family has always been there. My dad was born there. I was born there. Anna was born there."

Clark nodded and made a mental note to check the records to confirm her story. "Have you ever used your powers in front of someone outside your family before today?"

"No. My papa told me not to. He said they wouldn't understand. He never took me or Anna into town with him either. He said it was too dangerous for children."

"I see, so you performed your power, attacking the titan in front of the survey corps, despite your father warning you not to use your powers in front of other people?"

Elsa looked down at the table wringing her hands together then said quietly, "Please don't tell him. He's be so mad at me, even though I did it to save Anna."

Clark stared at Elsa, noting that every emotion on her face was completely genuine.

"A-Am I in trouble now?"

Clark shook his head. "No. Elsa you're not in trouble. In fact, I'd like to offer you something."

Elsa tilted her head a little curiously. "You'd like to offer me something?"

"Yes, consider it an invitation or job opportunity. I'd like it if you'd consider joining the military."


	2. Chapter 2

"Me? Join the military?" Elsa looked at Clark incredulously.

"Yes. I believe both you and the military could benefit from you being a soldier."

Elsa thought about it for a moment. "This isn't a decision I can make just like that. You're asking me about five hours after a titan attacked my home, destroyed everything I had ever known, nearly killed me AND my sister, killed my parents and caused me to expose my powers to people I don't even know the names of, if I want to join the military. I can't give you an answer to that. I don't know a thing about the military. I didn't even know we HAVE a military until today. Can I have some time to think about this?"

"How did you not know we have a military?" Clark asked.

"My mom and dad never told me, soldiers never came by and I never went into town so I never heard about it."

Clark nodded thoughtfully. "I'll allow you some time to think about it," he said. "Provided you listen to Kai's advice."

"Who's Kai?"

"Kai is the soldier who volunteered to house you and your sister."

"I want to meet this Kai."

Clark nodded and stood up and motioned for Elsa to follow him. He walked over to the door and smiled. "Right this way."

Elsa followed him closely, relieved that she was finally being allowed to leave the room but also scared of why this 'Kai' volunteered to house two underage girls. As soon as the door was opened Elsa found herself on the floor, her rambunctious little sister on top of her. All she could see was Anna's red hair.

"Oh my god, Elsa! I thought they were never going to let you out of there," Anna cried out, her words slightly muffled by having her head pressed against her sister's shoulder.

"Anna, let me up," Elsa said. "I missed you too, but the floor is not my friend."

"Oops, sorry." Anna smiled and giggled and got off of Elsa so that she could stand up.

"It's fine Anna." Elsa smiled. "Having fun?"

"Oh my god, you don't understand. These people are awesome. Elsa you have got to meet Kai. He's the sweetest guy ever. He won't stop talking about his wife, it's so adorable. Come on Elsa I'll show you." Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her away from the door. "He's over here."

Elsa smiled as Anna led her past a couple soldiers who shot her fearful glances. When Anna finally stopped pulling her along she rubbed hand a little and smiled at the soldier in front of them. He was slightly balding with red hair, a little chubby and had a warm smile on his face.

"You must be Elsa," he said kindly with a warmth in his voice that made Elsa feel immensely better about him volunteering to house her and her sister. "My wife and I are honored to help you and your lovely sister."

"Honored?" Elsa asked quietly.

"Yes honored." Kai nodded. "It's an honor to host the children of our best friends."

Elsa and Anna exchanged a confused glance. "I'm confused," Elsa said. "Best friends?"

"Your father and I have been best friends since we were both very little. Your mother and my lovely wife Gerda were the exact same way." He smiled sadly. "I do hope they survived the attack." He held out his hand and Elsa took it smiling gently. "I'm here for you two, if you ever need to talk or just want someone who understands."

Elsa nodded and smiled kindly. "I really appreciate that."

Anna smiled too, then frowned as he took in his words. "Elsa what does he mean he hopes they survived?"

Elsa frowned and took Anna's hand. "It's best we don't talk about it here. Kai, when do you think we could go to your house?"

"Whenever Clark says it's okay for you two to leave. He's my commanding officer."

"Would you mind asking him for us?" Elsa asked sensing Anna was getting agitated and very sad that she wouldn't tell her what was going on.

"Of course, just wait here for me okay?"

"Okay."

Kai headed off to find Clark, while Elsa sat down against the wall and gently pulled Anna to sit with her.

"I'm serious Elsa. What did he mean?"

Elsa sighed and kissed the top of Anna's head. "Mom and dad left slightly before the titans came. We have no way of knowing if the titans got them or not."

"Mom and dad…They aren't coming back, are they?"

"Probably not. I have hope that they will, but I don't know how to find them. I don't know where Rapunzel lives. Or how to find her to see if mom and dad made it to them."

"What if they come back and find the house destroyed like it is?"

"Hopefully they'd try to find us. Hopefully they'd contact Kai and Gerda and ask them if they know where we are. All we can do right now is have faith that they'll come looking for us in two weeks, just like they promised they would."

Kai waited for the opportune moment to make his presence known, he didn't want to interrupt the girl's conversation. "Clark said that it's okay if we leave now. If you would like to leave now, we can."

Elsa nodded and gently hugged Anna. "Would you like to leave now?"

"Yes, please," Anna said quietly hugging Elsa back.


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa was keenly aware of the soldiers watching her and Anna as they followed Kai out. Anna was not. She wasn't aware of anything but Elsa keeping a hand on her arm gently. It hadn't quite hit her yet, just what it meant for their parents to be gone. She knew she still had Elsa, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. The city was safe. Well safer than the area where they had lived before. At least here they weren't likely to be attacked by titans soon.

Kai led the two girls through town into a quiet neighborhood. He pointed out the various shops and neighbors as they passed by. It was all very friendly. Kai had lived in this neck of the woods for years, his presence was always welcome.

Once they were away from the other soldiers and Elsa was less worried about what they thought of her and more able to focus, she noticed something odd. "You're not part of the survey corps."

Kai glanced at her for a moment. Before simply shrugging and pointing out his house. "No, I'm not. This is where I, and now by extension you, live. Come inside and I'll explain it all."

Elsa and Anna walked in with Kai. Standing by the stove was a lovely woman, who looked a little like Kai, she was cooking something that smelled delicious.

"This is my lovely wife Gerda," Kai said walking over and kissing her cheek. "Gerda these are Agdar and Idunn's children, Elsa and Anna."

Gerda turned and looked at them. "Oh," she said. She stared at them for a moment, slightly taken back by just how much they looked like their mother. "Where are my manners, please sit. I was just making dinner. Do either of you like chicken and dumplings?"

"I love it," Anna said easily going into her most bubbly mode. Elsa on the other hand didn't say anything just smiled and nodded politely.

"You can go put your things in the room through," he pointed at a door leading out on the left wall. "that door. Make yourselves comfortable. I'll come get you when dinner is ready."

Elsa nodded and pulled Anna away into the other room.

"Are they okay? Something seems a little weird about them," Gerda said quietly as she turned back to the stove.

"They're probably trying to adjust to the fact that they're not likely to ever see their parents again. Plus I'm betting Elsa isn't used to people knowing about her powers."

"It's a shame, it's such a beautiful skill. She probably doesn't remember showing them off for us when she was little. Wait. Agdar and Idunn? Are they…?" Tears formed in her eyes. Idunn had been her best friend for years.

"Likely. A titan attacked their house beyond the wall. It's highly likely that they didn't make it." He gently hugged Gerda from behind. "According to the girls they were headed to their cousin Rapunzel's wedding. I don't know how far they got before the titan attacked. Elsa was very brave. She fought against the titan even knowing her father would be angry if he found out she used her powers in front of strangers. It's because of her that Anna is alive."

"I see," Gerda whispered. "Still it's strange that a titan would attack them now of all times. They've lived there forever."

Kai nodded. "It is strange. What's stranger though is what I was told by Clark. The girls knew nothing about the military before the survey corps showed up to fight the titan."

"How could someone living in the walls not know about the military?"

"That's what's strange. I think maybe their parents were trying to protect them. There's a good chance that they thought that the military would try to use Elsa in some way because of her powers." He kissed Gerda's cheek. "It's likely that Elsa won't trust the military at first because of some fear over her powers. We'll have to help her see that the military doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Gerda nodded. "Right, well. You do that, and set the table dear dinner is ready."

Kai chuckled and nodded. He walked over to the cabinet and got out some bowls and put them on the table, then went back and got some cups and put them beside the bowls. He set out some silverware and napkins then walked over to the door to the other room and knocked on it gently. "Dinner's ready," he called.

"Okay," Elsa said.

"Coming," Anna chirped.

The two girls walked back into the main room and sat down at the table as Gerda served up the chicken and dumplings. "Careful it's hot," Gerda said as Anna started to pick up her spoon without trying to cool it down first.

Anna smiled and blew on the bowl a little to try to cool it down some.

"So, Kai sir. I'm still a little confused," Elsa said. "You're not with the survey corps. How did they know to find you? Or rather how did you find us?"

Kai smiled. "And here I was thinking you hadn't figured out that there's more to the military than the survey corps."

"Well that confuses me too, but I thought start with the bigger question," Elsa said with a smile.

"I heard the survey corps soldiers talking about you, and informed Clark that he should handle the talking to you, because you were probably just as terrified as some of the soldiers were if not more, and he was way nicer and understood better. And it went from there. At first I didn't know it was you, until I saw Anna. I just heard them talking about two girls they'd rescued from a titan attack." He didn't want to mention the soldiers that were calling her a freak because he thought she'd been through enough already. "Clark has a way of not scaring children to death. So I brought it to his attention."

"I see. Now the smaller thing. The military?"

Kai smiled. "This is a rather broad topic. There are three branches to the military. The Survey Corps, which goes on explorations beyond the walls and deals with titans the most. The Garrison, which I'm part of. We oversee the walls, their maintenance, and should titans get through the walls we oversee fending them off and getting the civilians safely deeper into the walls. And finally The Military Police. They are the best of the best. Only the top ten recruits of each class can go into the police. They protect the king and maintain order within the walls. I know the military might seem odd to you, but trust me when I say that it's not all bad. The military certainly doesn't want to do any sort of experiments that might end up costing money so don't worry about that. It's not an issue. However, I have heard that the survey corps sometimes does catch titans and does experiments on them, but that's mostly Hanji Zoe. I have no idea what goes through that person's head but they seem obsessed with titans, it's kind of amusing, but don't ever tell them I said that."

"Do they even know you?"

"No, but that doesn't mean you should tell them."

"What does it take to join the military?"

Kai and Gerda stopped eating and stared at her, Anna seemingly hadn't heard what Elsa said and continued chowing down on the chicken and dumplings.

"You want to join the military?" Kai asked skeptically.

"Clark wants me to. I said I needed time to think about it. I'm just wondering if I even qualify," Elsa said dismissively as though the whole thing wasn't as serious as it really was.

"Anyone and everyone who can move qualifies for the military. However, to actually get in you have to make it through basic training. Which is difficult. People have died or deserted because of basic training. It's more a boot camp really. Tough, dangerous."

"I'm going to join," Anna said surprising everyone at the table.


End file.
